Electric switch.



No. 696,963. Patented Apr. 8, 1902.-

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(Application fllegi Nov. 19, 1901.) (No Model.)

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GERALD W. HART, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HARTMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,963, dated April 8,1902.

Application filed November 19, 1901. Serial No. 82,920. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GERALD W. HART, a citr zen of the United States,residing at West Hartford, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electric switches,

to particularly of the snap-switch type.

The object of my invention isio provide a simple, effective, and durableconstruction.

The particular type of switch to which this invention relates is asingle-button switch,

I 5 by which when the button is in one position, either in or out, thecircuit is complete and when in the other position the circuit isbroken. This type of switch has a large field of usefulness inconnection with closets or other rooms which it is desired to light bythe opening or closing of a door. In this use the switch is so placedthat when the door is in one position, open or closed, the current is onand when in the other position the current 2 5 is off.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of a switch-case,showing the interior mechanism in elevation and in the on position. Fig.2 is a similar view showingthe 3o switch mechanism in the off position.Fig. 3 is a section and plan view of the parts as they are shown in Fig.1, the face-plate of the casing being removed. Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryview of the parts as they are shown in Fig. 2, showing a modifiedarrangement. Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly in section, of a door andcasing in which the switch is located. Fig. 6 is a View of a detail.

1 is a suitable casing or housing for the switch mechanism.

2 is a face-plate.

3 is a push-button projecting outside-of the face-plate 2.

4 is an operating-lever mounted on a pivot 5 5, to one end of whichlever the inner end of the push-button 3 is connected.

6 is a spring fastened at one end and engaging the operating-lever inany suitable wayfor example, by the pin 7 on. the lever 4. The spring 6normally gives to the said lever the position indicated in Fig. 1,wherein it is so tilted that the push-button 3 stands in its outwardposition.

8 is a stationary frame having therein. a recess 9, generally ofT-shaped outline. The particular outline of this recess, however, isimmaterial, excepting as to the lower portion, the sides of which form aguide for the locking-pin 10, carried by the link 11, pivoted to thelever 4, so that as said lever is rocked the pin moves to and fro in theguiding portion of said recess 9.

12 is a contact-carrier, and 13 is a contact piece or blade of anysuitable design by which the circuit may be opened or closed.

14 is a tension-spring, one end of which bears against the pin 7 or asuitable projection carried by the operating-lever 4. In the particularform shown the pin 7 projects through a portion 109 of the aforesaidslot or recess 9, said slot being of such shape as to allow the pin toswing back and forth, while the closed ends of the slot afford aconvenient stop at each end of said slot to check or limit the movementor swing of said operating part. 7 5 One end of the spring 14 bearsagainst the pin 7. The other end of the spring 14 is en- 'gaged with thecontact-carrier12for example, by hearing against a pin 15 thereon. In

leads to the binding-posts 17 17, which are each provided with suitableterminals 18 18.

The contact 13 is of suitable form to bridge the gap between theterminals 18 18 and close the circuit therethrough. 8,5

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the terminals 18 18 are located in such positionthat the circuit will not be closed excepting when the push-button is inthe outward position. In Fig. 4 the location of the terminals ischanged, so that the circuitis closed only when the push-button is inits inward position. The contact carrier in the particular form shown isarched, so as to give sufficient room for spring 14 be tween its innersurface and the frame 8 and 95 also to give sufficient room for thefreedom of action of the locking-pin 10. The lockingpin 10 engages withthe shoulders 121 121 on that when the door is open, as shown in Fig.

5, the spring 8 will cause the parts to move into such position that thepush-button is projected outwardly.- When the door is closed,

the rear edge of the same bears against the pin and pushes it inwardly,shifting the parts of the switch accordingly.

The springs 6'and let are preferably carried by the pivotal support forthe operating part and the contact-carrier, said springs being coiledaround said support, whereby they are securely held in place. Manifestlythe type of spring employed might be modified or the means forsupporting the same might be.

modified.

In operation when the button is pushed in,

say, from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to f the position indicatedin Fig. 2 the springs 6 g and l tare put under tension. The locking-pin10 moves in front of one of the. shoulders 121 and prevents thecontact-carrier from swingj ing until the operating-lever reachesapproxi maiely the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the pin 10 hasbeen retracted and has allowed the contact-carrier 12 to swing from theposition shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 under theinfluence of the spring 14:. In these figures the circuit is broken bythe contact leaving the terminals 18. This action is brought about byclosing the door and pushing the button 3 inwardly. Consequently if theappliance is used in a lampcircuit leading to the interior of a closetwhen the door is closed the circuit is broken and the lamp Within thecloset is extinguished. As soon, however, as the door is opened thepush-button is allowed to move outwardly under the influence of thespring 6, whereupon the contact 12 is thrown into the position in whichthe contact 13 closes the circuit through terminals 18 18, whereupon thelamp within the closet is lighted. So long as the door is open thecloset is illuminated. Manifestly this arrangement may be reversed, sothat when the door is closed the closet will be illuminated and whenopen the light within the same will be extinguished. This end isattained by merely changing the location of the terminals 18 from theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to .the position shown in Fig. 4.

Manifestly many changes in the particular construction and proportion ofthe parts may be made. For example, abla'de-switch might be substitutedin place of the particular switch shown. Such a change and others aretoo obvious to require illustration, since they would readily suggestthemselves to the mechanic skilled in the art.

What I claim is 1. In a snap-switoh,a tilting operating part, astationary frame, a link connected to said operating part, a locking-pincarried by said link and guided by said frame, a contact-carrier, saidpin being adapted to engage on opposite sides of said contact carrier,and a spring, one end being engaged by the operating part and the otherend engaging said contact-carrier.

2. A snap-switch comprising, a stationary frame, a pivoted operatingpart, a swinging contact-carrier pivoted concentrically with saidoperating part, a reciprocating locking device controlled by saidoperating part and adapted to engage on opposite sides of saidcontact-carrier, and a spring one end being engaged by said operatingpart the other end engaging said contact-carrier.

3. In a snap-switch,a tilting operating part, a stationary frame, a linkconnected to said operating part, a locking-pin carried by said link andguided by said frame, a contact-carrier, said pin being adapted toengage on opposite sides of said contact-carrier, a spring, one endbeing engaged by the operating part and the other end engagingsaidcontact-carrier, and another spring for normally returning the operatingpart to its original position.

4. In asnap-switch,a tilting operating part, a stationary frame, a linkconnected to said operating part, a locking-pin carried by said link andguided by said frame, a contact-carrier, said pin being adapted toengage on opposite sides of said contact-carrier, a spring,

one end being engaged by the operating part and the other end engagingsaid contact-carrier, and a stop for limiting the movement of saidoperating part.

Signed at Hartford, Connecticut, this 15th day of November, 1901.

v GERALD W. HART. Witnesses:

FREDERICK M. GooDRIoH, O. W. BONGARD.

